Darkening Dawn
by Walking on Starlit Dreams
Summary: Dawnsky is perfect. Everyone loves her. Only she's tired of being perfect. She doesn't want to be puny little Dawnpaw. She wants revenge. This is what I'm submitting for Reminiscent Lullaby's challenge! *may add epilouge*


**Here's what I'm submitting for Destiny's anniversary contest! I'm making it a one-shot because, frankly, evil is better expressed in never ending cliffies. Enjoy!**

Dawnsky sat in the clearing at moonhigh. Every other cat was asleep, but she was on vigil, so she wasn't allowed to sleep. Besides, there were too many things on her mind.

_I've always been known as 'perfect Dawnpaw',_ she thought. _Always catching the best prey, being the best fighter, and doing everything I was told. Everyone loves me._

Her eyes narrowed. _Thing is, I'm tired of being perfect. They named me Dawnsky. Such an innocent name. She flexed her claws. Makes me sound weak. Well, I'm not. And I'm going to prove it._

She began plotting: a terrible, malicious plot that involved lots of betrayal. Still, there was a nagging voice at the back of her mind saying, _Do you really want to do this? You love your Clan! _She wanted to agree, but the rest of her said, _No, your Clan loves you. They think you're a perfect cat. They think you're weak._

Dawnsky found herself agreeing. They thought she was a weakling. It was time to prove them wrong. She yowled as loud as she could.

Immediately, cats streamed out of the dens. Froststar raced over. "Is someone attacking?!" He asked worriedly.

"Yes." Dawnsky grinned evilly. "Me."

Froststar was unprepared. Perfect. Dawnsky lunged at the leader she had looked up to. Shocked, he batted her away.

"What are you doing, Dawnsky?!" he gasped.

"Killing the cats that think I'm weak," Dawsky replied, slashing at Froststar's belly. "And you can call me Dawnclaw, not a puny name like Dawnsky."

The cats stood nearby, watching in shock. Her mother Briarberry called out to her.

"Dawnsky," she meowed pleadingly, "don't do this. You're better than this."

"It's Dawnclaw!" Dawnclaw hissed. "And you mean weaker than this! Well, I'm not going back to puny little Dawnpaw! Never again!" She dug her claws into Froststar's flank and he yowled with pain.

"Bye, Dad." Dawnclaw snapped Froststar's neck. His eyes glazed over, and all of the cats murmured, worried.

"That was his last life," Robincreek whispered. "I can't believe Dawnsky would do this."

"_Dawnsky_ wouldn't. _Dawnclaw_ would," Dawnclaw hissed.

"You're still Dawnsky!" Briarberry called to her daughter. "Please. I don't want to attack you."

"No. You don't," Dawnclaw agreed. I would just kill you anyway."

The deputy, Whitefur, sighed. "Then you leave me no choice. _WindClan, attack!"_

Every cat sprang forward. They tried to attack Dawnclaw, but it was too confusing since there was one of her and so many of them. In the confusion, Dawnclaw disappeared into the nursery.

Peeking outside, she saw Tawnypaw a few tail-lengths away. _Perfect_.

Silently, she pounced. Tawnypaw yowled with surprise, but nobody could hear her over the confusion. The little blue-eyed apprentice was quaking in fear. "P-P-Please don't hurt me," she whispered.

Dawnclaw dragged her into the nursery. "Now, why would I do that? You'll make a perfect prisoner." She pushed Tawnypaw into the corner. "Stay here. Don't get any ideas."

The apprentice nodded fearfully, and Dawnclaw leapt back into the fray. She spotted Grasssong, a she-cat who had become a warrior just a moon before. She stalked up.

"Hello, old friend," she meowed nonchalantly. Grasssong's eyes were wide. She tried to screech, but nothing came out. Dawnclaw shoved her into the nursery as well.

"You two. Stay put," she hissed. "If you step one paw outside, you'll answer to me. Understand?"

The two she-cats nodded quickly, not daring to speak.

"I'm glad we agree," Dawnclaw mewed sweetly. "Bye now!" She ran back in to the battle, searching for her mother. She was hiding behind a yew bush.

Dawnclaw raced over, grabbed her by her scruff, and started heaving her onto Highrock. When she let go her mother just lay there, trembling.

"Cats of WindClan!" she yowled. The cats slowly turned around. "I'm going to show you how I treat cowards."

She dug her claws into Briarberry's flank, but the gray she cat didn't cry out. Dawnclaw dug her claws in deeper. The she-cat flinched, but didn't make a sound.

"Why aren't you crying out in pain?!" she hissed.

"Because," her mother replied calmly, I'm not giving you the pleasure of seeing me wail."

Angered, red filled Dawnclaw's gaze. Her teeth were in Briarberry's neck and snap. Her mother was gone in a silent kill.

"Who's next?" She challenged. She scanned the crowd with an emotionless face.

"Me." Dawnclaw looked to the left to see her mother's brother, Hollowberry, stepping forward. Ignoring the gasps, he climbed Highrock. "I'd rather die then live with a ruler like you."

"Very well." Dawnclaw sunk her claws into his skin. She loved the sound of ripping flesh.

_Wait_, she thought. _Since when do I enjoy that? Since when do I kill my family and friends? _

_What have I become?_

She stared at her bleeding uncle. He looked up at her with grief in his eyes.

"I know you're still in there," he mumbled. "And I know soon your anger will take over completely. So I'm sorry, Dawnsky. I'm so sorry you have to go through this."

She barely had time to whisper, "Thank you," before it took over her again, this time completely, and she snapped his neck.

But he heard.

And he understood.

**I'm not sure if this is how Destiny imagined it, but the words just flowed. I had an awesome ending planned out, and maybe I'll make an epilouge, but this just... Worked.**

**R&R please!**

**-Petaleh**


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